"Morbidly Yours" is a beautifully crafted novel set against the lush, haunting backdrop of Ireland, where the characters navigate the complex emotions of grief and love. The story weaves through the lives of its protagonists, who are burdened by their past losses yet find solace and hope in unexpected second chances. The author's portrayal of the Irish landscape adds a poignant and mystical layer to the narrative, enhancing the emotional depth of the characters' journeys. Each character's struggle with grief is handled with sensitivity and realism, making their eventual paths to joy and healing all the more impactful. The romance that blossoms amidst sorrow is both tender and believable, offering a heartwarming contrast to the darker themes. The novel’s exploration of second chances is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, reminding readers that joy can be found even in the most unlikely of circumstances. "Morbidly Yours" is a moving and unforgettable read, rich with emotion and the promise of renewal. Hopefully a book two with Cal and Lark!!

Quirky, smart, funny, and well written. Romance lovers will delight in "Morbidly Yours" unique take on the fake marriage trope.

soooo good! i would love to read this again closer to spooky season, as the premise had that vibe entirely while still bringing in enough originality i enjoyed it outside of that aspect. the characters were incredibly lovable and i quite enjoyed ivy’s writing. would love to read more from her!

cute and spicy!

i enjoyed the chemistry between the characters and how well-defined they were as people. the sex scenes were really well written, and i liked that the mmc was especially layered. and that the characters who interfered with their love story were actually very likable on their own!

i wish the side stories felt as important or fully realized as the love story, because i felt like some of them were there just to provide unnecessary roadblocks. to be honest, the whole marriage plot was also felt like an unnecessary roadblock at times. and ultimately, the confessions of like and then love in a circle with no resolutions started to get a bit draining.

a good start as a debut, would read more!

Lark takes a 9-month contract position in Ireland hoping to clear her head & get a fresh start. Callum is still coming to terms with losing his grandfather and now has to deal with finding a wife within 8 months or he loses everything. Will opposites truly attract or will they both end up broken?

I liked the premise of this book & the character development but for some reason I could never fully get into it. I was hoping for a can’t put down story but got more of a read when the mood strikes me story. I would definitely be willing to read more by Fairbanks but this one just didn’t knock it out of the park for me.

Thank you #netgalley for providing me with an ARC for my honest review.

Overall Rating: 2.5⭐️

Making a mortician sound appealing is a challenge, yet Ivy Fairbanks succeeded. The love story was surprisingly delightful, with the setting in Ireland and the unique vocabulary adding an enjoyable twist. Initially a slow burn, the narrative eventually finds its pace, making it a refreshing departure from typical romance novels.

I ate this up and loved every minute. Easy read, fantastic build up. I would DEFINITELY read this author again

DNF at 7% - I'm really disappointed by this as I think this book looks so cute and features demi rep! But the writing style really wasn't vibing with me right off of the bat. And this book is also clearly going to be about grief but I started a job as a hospice social worker after receiving approval for the ARC and I just can't read books about grief right now since it's basically my every day. Also there was a lot of dead body descriptions for only being 7% into the book. Ultimately just not for me right now

DNF. Morbidly Yours wasn't for me. There were a few things that led to my DNF. I thought the writing style was a little stilted. Some of the dialogue and monologues felt unnatural. I didn't feel a connection to any of the characters. I didn't feel the chemistry between Lark and Callum. I sort of found Lark a little annoying. Lastly, I thought the setting could have used some tweaking. Besides the sporadic Gaelic, I would have assumed this story was taking place somewhere else. I didn't get to the demisexual part of the story, but based off of reviews, that could have used some editing too. Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the ARC.

I adored this book. Absolutely loved it. I can count on one hand the number of romance novels that I’ve read and had no notes. Not a single decision I would have made differently. Nothing I would have changed. This book is one of them. It was, for me, the perfect romance novel. I loved the story. It was an easy read which a cadence that ebbed and flowed beautifully. I adored the characters. I am such a sucker for grumpy/sunshine and the main characters were the epitome of the trope. All of the tropes, including the tropes that were teased but not used, were wielded masterfully. It made for a journey that had emotion and heart. Where you couldn’t help but root for the main characters happy ending. The side characters were wonderful too, bolstering the narrative while also being interesting themselves. And the end was perfect. No bullshit love fixes all, but an honest and real end filled with hope. And a lawyer who didn’t suck! Extra bonus points for that. And there were not one but two epilogues?? You know I love an epilogue and these didn’t disappoint. Genuinely so impressed by this debut novel and dying already for more.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Seeking a fresh start from the grief that surrounded her, Lark fled Texas for Ireland. One of the first people she met was Callum, the local mortician who must marry by his birthday or forfeit the family business. Unfortunately, Callum suffered from social anxiety, and struggled when speaking with and connecting with women. Well, that was until Lark came barreling into his world.

I was drawn to this book because of its rom-com label and setting, but I truly fell in love with the story because of Callum and Lark.

Lark was a young widow who really never came to terms with her husband's death. She had been drowning in her grief for about two years. When she was offered an art director position with an indy animation studio, she jumped at the opportunity to relocate to Ireland leaving her past behind. But everyone knows you can't outrun your past, and Lark had to confront it in order to be able to open her heart and love again.

I adored Lark. She was the personification of bright colors. I swear, sunshine followed her wherever she went. I know this seems quite at odds with her grief, but she did a good job of burying her pain when necessary. Her cheerfulness was contagious, and I loved that she infected Callum with it. He needed more light in his world.

Callum grew up surrounded by death. As the third generation to run the family funeral home, he dealt with death on a daily basis, but was also bullied for where he lived and due to his stuttering. Rejected by his parents, he was raised by his grandparents and with his granda's recent passing, he was alone and at risk of losing the only home and the only world he had know.

Being a mortician cannot be easy, but Callum was a positive part of the death industry. He showed respect for the dead and their families as he attempted to ease some of their pain with thoughtful final farewells for their loved ones. I think the universe knew he needed some warmth and levity in his life, and that came in the form of Lark. She did such a magnificent job pulling him out of his shell and encouraging him to be a little more foot-loose and fancy free. Though Lark appeared super vocal, she was a people pleaser who often put her needs last. Callum helped her find a way to voice her desires and advocate for herself.

Callum was such a mush who was all about finding the one and making real connections. I loved him! When he whispered Irish endearments into Lark's ear or waxed poetic about her in his head, he brought the swoon. There were also some great supporting characters who brought something special to this story. I have a feeling Lark's cousin will be featured in future installments of this series, and I am very much looking forward to returning to Galway.

Overall, this was a heartwarming tale of healing and love that was filled with fun rom-com moments and quirky characters who won my heart.

The first 50% was pulling teeth for me, but I started to enjoy once it started getting a little spicier. The build up was well done, but this just wasn't it for me.

This was a very interesting premise. I loved the idea behind it. However, I feel like it wasn’t executed in a way that I enjoyed. It felt really long and not very compelling. I, unfortunately, found Lark to be stereotypical and wasn’t invested in her as a character. I liked Callum‘s character, and felt like he stood out in a sea of book characters that are often cut from the same cloth. The premise of this book was very unique. I’ll give it 3.5/5 stars.

This was not my cup of tea solely for the writing style. The premise is good but it just didn't tickle my fancy. Definitely worth a read though!

OMG THIS BOOK WA SOOOO CUTE definitely a great palette cleanser!! will def be getting this for the shelf

I ate this book up! It was so cute! Marriage of convenience is one of my favorite tropes and Ivy killed it! (Get it?!😝) 4 stars!!

I loved this way more than I expected! The setting and characters were great. I’ll reread after publication!

I received this eARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was an absolutely wonderful debut by Ivy Fairbanks! I loved the MCs and their relationship, a slow burn friends to lovers romance, and I actually loved the writing! Sometimes romances can be cringy, but I did not feel that way with this one. I miss Lark and Callum already, and can't wait to read the next book by this author!

This was a fun read. I wasn’t sure what to expect but it was sent to me. I ended up really enjoying it! I would recommend it!

Rating 3.75 /5

Morbidly Yours is a sweet, slow burn friends-to-lovers romance. It will have you yelling, “Just kiss already!!”.

Callum is the sweet but shy undertaker of Willow Haven. Lark has recently moved to Ireland from Texas for a job. They become fast friends with a much deeper connection. The problem? Callum must marry by age 35 to save his family business and Lark has sworn off love. These characters are sweeter than sweet. Ivy Fairbanks sprinkles her characters with individuality so casually that it reads with ease. One thing I had wished for more of in this book was the secondary characters. I had hoped they would flesh out a bit more throughout the story, and without that, it made Callum’s and Lark’s issues repetitive for me. However, their love story was swoony and lustful, so that made up for it. Great read!

**Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC!**